diff --git a/server/AyaNova/Controllers/NotifyController.cs b/server/AyaNova/Controllers/NotifyController.cs
index f0fe394c..d9f7e29e 100644
--- a/server/AyaNova/Controllers/NotifyController.cs
+++ b/server/AyaNova/Controllers/NotifyController.cs
@@ -41,13 +41,13 @@ namespace AyaNova.Api.Controllers
         /// <returns></returns>
         [AllowAnonymous]
         [HttpGet("hello")]
-        public ActionResult GetPreLoginPing()
+        public async Task<IActionResult> GetPreLoginPing()
         {
-            //note: this route is called by the client to determine if it should display trial login ui
-            //offer a language selection up front and or see if the server is contactable
-            // if (serverState.IsClosed)
-            //     return StatusCode(503, new ApiErrorResponse(serverState.ApiErrorCode, null, serverState.Reason));
-            return Ok(ApiOkResponse.Response(AyaNova.Core.License.ActiveKey.Status));
+            bool showSampleLogins = false;
+            if (AyaNova.Core.License.ActiveKey.Status == AyaNova.Core.License.AyaNovaLicenseKey.LicenseStatus.ActiveTrial)
+                showSampleLogins = await AyaNova.Util.DbUtil.DBHasTrialUsersAsync(ct, log);
+
+            return Ok(ApiOkResponse.Response(showSampleLogins));
         }
 
 
diff --git a/server/AyaNova/util/DbUtil.cs b/server/AyaNova/util/DbUtil.cs
index 9516ed1b..e9d97799 100644
--- a/server/AyaNova/util/DbUtil.cs
+++ b/server/AyaNova/util/DbUtil.cs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ using AyaNova.Models;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
+using System.Linq;
 
 namespace AyaNova.Util
 {
@@ -407,11 +408,34 @@ namespace AyaNova.Util
             if (await ct.Part.AnyAsync()) return false;
             if (await ct.Project.AnyAsync()) return false;
             if (await ct.PurchaseOrder.AnyAsync()) return false;
-            
+
             return true;
         }
 
 
+
+        ///////////////////////////////////////////
+        // Check if DB has evaluation user accounts 
+        // CALLED BY by login ping from licent via notify controller       
+        internal static async Task<bool> DBHasTrialUsersAsync(AyContext ct, ILogger _log)
+        {
+            _log.LogDebug("DB trial users presence check");
+            //There are 22 trial users (more but for internal use) in a trial database
+            if (await ct.User.LongCountAsync() < 22) return false;
+
+            //just check for a few for testing
+            if(await ct.User.AsNoTracking()
+            .Where(z => 
+            z.Login == "BizAdminFull" || 
+            z.Login == "DispatchFull" || 
+            z.Login == "InventoryFull" || 
+            z.Login == "Accounting" || 
+            z.Login == "TechFull"  
+            ).LongCountAsync() < 5) return false;
+
+            return true;
+        }
+
         ///////////////////////////////////////////
         // Ensure the db is not modified
         //